Rightist politician's assassination stuns Netherlands - CSMonitor.com Rightist politician's assassination stuns Netherlands An animal-rights militant is suspected in the Monday shooting death of Pim Fortuyn. By Mike Standaert, Special to The Christian Science Monitor May 8, 2002 Save for later Saved AMSTERDAM — The mood in the Netherlands remains somber after the shooting death of Pim Fortuyn, a controversial right-wing politician running on an anti-immigrant platform for parliamentary elections next week. In a country that views itself as peaceful and tolerant of diverging views, the assassination has triggered a state of shock. Dutch newspapers are comparing the killing Monday to the Kennedy assassination. The last political leader to be assassinated in the Netherlands was in the 16th century. The openly homosexual, middle-aged Fortuyn used his charismatic style to focus attention on a simmering issue that many Dutch politicians had been reluctant to touch: immigration. Recommended: Could you pass a US citizenship test? Part of a rising tide of nationalist, anti-immigrant politics in several European nations, Fortuyn's party came out of nowhere to capture 17 of the 45 council seats in city elections in Rotterdam, the Netherlands' second city.

He was expected to become a major force in the national parliament. Photos of the Day Photos of the day 02/08 Strangely enough for a politician running on an anti-immigration platform, a recent poll in the leading Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, focused on his popularity among immigrants. According to the survey, many immigrants approved Fortuyn's breaking of longstanding taboos in Dutch politics and his role as catalyst in opening discussion about underlying tensions between native Dutch residents and the immigrant population. The article states that his popularity among those groups was for "putting the finger on the sour wounds, stimulating debate, and giving immigrants their own responsibility back as real citizens." Nearly 2 million people in this densely populated country of close to 16 million are ethnic minorities  almost 800,000 of Muslim origin, mainly from Morocco and Turkey. Many of Fortuyn's supporters claimed that they were behind him because he broke the silence that had been cast over Dutch politics for years on immigration and crime. They refused to categorize him as racist. Even if they disagreed with the views of Fortuyn and his supporters, other politicians across the country had to pay attention.

"Just because part of the population may be right wing or racist doesn't mean the government can ignore their views," says Lousewies van der Laan, a leftist Dutch representative of the European Parliament. Fortuyn, who had once been a Marxist, was one of the latest in a series of right-wing politicians who have shocked the left-leaning political elite of Europe  though Fortuyn was also known for not wanting to be lumped into the crowd of right-wing European populists. Echoing the arguments of far-right politicians Jean-Marie Le Pen of France and Jörg Haider of Austria, he called for a halt to immigration. But he rejected further comparisons, saying he was not a racist and that he was pro-Israel. In recent interviews Fortuyn said that Islam was a "backward" culture. He fulminated against Muslims  who, he said, posed a threat to Dutch egalitarianism, reflected in such policies as full rights for women.

Last year, Fortuyn was kicked out of the leftist party Leefbaar Nederland (Liveable Netherlands) for criticizing a Rotterdam imam's remarks that "gays were worse than pigs." Fortuyn had moved Liveable Netherlands to the right on a campaign of criticizing the government for uncontrolled immigration polices and excessive bureaucracy. After being booted, he formed his own party around his own name and went on to win 35 percent of the votes for city council in Rotterdam, a port city of blue-collar workers and newly arrived immigrants where one third of the population is made up of ethnic minorities. Polls released Sunday showed the Lijst (Party of) Pim Fortuyn (LPF) likely to be a leader among the seven main parties in the upcoming national elections. Party members say they hope they can ride a wave of sympathy as well as the recognition Fortuyn gained in the last three months of campaigning. LPF spokesman Mat Herben said after the shooting: "The government now has to stay calm and the democratic process must move forward." The LPF is searching for a new leader out of a relatively unknown crop of members of whom Fortuyn was the only nationally known name.

Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok said yesterday that general elections would go ahead as planned on May 15. Fortuyn, who did not travel with a bodyguard, had recently voiced fears for his safety after protesters threw cream pies laced with urine in his face. His lawyers are criticizing the government for failing to provide him protection. Fortuyn was shot by a lone gunman after giving a radio interview south of Amsterdam. A suspect now in custody is a militant animal-rights activist who may have taken issue with Fortuyn's proposal to revive fur farming, the Dutch national news agency (ANP) reported yesterday.  Material from Agence France-Presse was used in this report. Next up Pim Fortuyn: Politician's Killer Is Freed Early Weather Pim Fortuyn: Politician's Killer Is Freed Early Animal rights activist Volkert van der Graaf was sentenced to 18 years for the shooting of anti-immigration Pim Fortuyn.

13:17, UK, Friday 02 May 2014 Image Caption: Pim Fortuyn was expected to take a share of the 2002 election vote Mail An animal rights activist who assassinated a right-wing Dutch politician is being released after serving 12 years of an 18-year sentence. Volkert van der Graaf shot dead Pim Fortuyn days before national elections in which the 44-year-old party leader was set to take a large share of the vote. He was running on an anti-immigration platform that was responsible for reversing the then-progressive Dutch political landscape. Van der Graaf said he killed Mr Fortuyn because he regarded the politician as a "danger to society" and was worried about the way he stigmatised Muslim immigrants and asylum seekers. Many of Mr Fortuyn's ideas have since been made policy. Officials warned last year that Van der Graaf's early release - which was expected to happen on Friday - could reopen old wounds.

Image Caption: Volkert van der Graaf driven from his trial for Pim Fortuyn's murder There was widespread public anger following openly-gay Mr Fortuyn's assassination in the car park of a television station on May 6, 2002. Mr Fortuyn had labelled Islam a "backward culture" and called for Dutch borders to be closed to immigration. But, although his policies seemed at odds with the commonly held view of Dutch culture as open and liberal, they struck a chord with many citizens disaffected with the political establishment. He was widely seen as the forerunner of Holland's current Freedom Party (PVV), which is led by controversial right-wing politician Geert Wilders. Van der Graaf's sentence was widely criticised after he was jailed for being too light. A Dutch justice advisory board said last year that he should be granted a "controlled" early release. Image Caption: Relatives and friends after Pim Fortuyn's funeral in May 2002 It is normal under the Dutch justice system for criminals to serve two thirds of their sentence before being paroled. When asked on Friday when Van der Graaf would be released, justice ministry spokesman Jochgem van Opstal told AFP: "It's today.

"But as to the exact time or other details, we're not saying anything for now." Dutch media said Van der Graaf was expected to be handed over to his family, including his partner and their 12-year-old daughter. He will not be given a new identity despite fears his whereabouts may be revealed, but he will be "protected", Dutch media reported. Van der Graaf will have to report to authorities once a week and wear an electronic ankle tag. He will not be allowed to go to Rotterdam, the city where Fortuyn was a politician, or to Hilversum, where he was killed. Related Stories USATODAY.com - Dutch politician Fortuyn shot, killed 05/06/2002 - Updated 03:07 PM ET Dutch politician Fortuyn shot, killed By Phil Nijhuis, AP Dutch television said Pim Fortuyn was not taken to a hospital. HILVERSUM, Netherlands (AP)  Right-wing Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn, whose anti-immigration party stunned the public with its strong showing in local elections last March, was shot six times and killed Monday as he left a radio interview.

Dutch television said the 54-year-old politician was shot in the head, neck and chest. The attack came nine days before national elections, and opinion polls had predicted Fortuyn would lead one of the largest parties in parliament. Prime Minister Wim Kok confirmed Fortuyn's death. "After this assassination, Pim Fortuyn is gone," Kok said in The Hague after breaking off a campaign engagement in the western city of Haarlem. "This is a deep tragedy. I am shocked. This is a deep tragedy for those close to him, for his loved ones and for our country and our democracy." It was the first time in modern history that a Dutch political leader was assassinated. "These are things you thought were just not possible in the Netherlands," said Ad Melkert, new leader of the ruling Labor Party and its candidate for prime minister. "It's a low-point for our democracy." Fortuyn, a former academic and columnist who led an openly gay lifestyle, had dictated debate during the campaign with verbal attacks on the country's growing Muslim population and strident criticism of the national government. He called Islam a "backward" culture and laid claim to leadership of the Netherlands' perennially vacant political right.

Fortuyn (pronounced fore-TOWN) was leaving a 3FM radio network interview in Hilversum, about 10 miles southeast of Amsterdam, when he was attacked. He was heading for his car when gunned down. Television said paramedics treated Fortuyn where he fell at the entrance to a building, and he was not taken to hospital. No information was immediately available about the assailant. Witnesses said the shooter fled and was chased by at least four people after attacking Fortuyn. "I saw Pim Fortuyn lying on the ground with a bullet wound in his head," said television reporter Dave Abspoel. Fortuyn's rise mirrored a right-wing resurgence in several European countries, lately highlighted by the anti-immigrant Jean Marie Le Pen's surprise showing in the first round of French presidential elections. He was soundly defeated in Sunday's run-off vote by incumbent Jacques Chirac. Nevertheless, Fortuyn had dissociated himself from Le Pen and other European extreme right leaders. Fortuyn's platform seemed out of place in the Netherlands, which has a reputation for liberalism.

It was the first country to legalize gay marriages, regulate prostitution, approve and control euthanasia, and tolerate the over-the-counter sale of marijuana in hundreds of "coffee shops." Though tolerant of such subcultures, Fortuyn's popularity has exposed a deep vein of suspicion of immigrants in Europe's most densely populated country, about 2 million of whose 16 million people are not native Dutch. About 800,000 are Muslims, predominantly Moroccans and Turks. Several political parties called for a halt in the campaign, but there was no immediate demand to postpone the vote. The head of the Liberal Party, VVD, Hans Dijkstal, stopped his party's campaign. In the Netherlands, most political leaders travel without bodyguards, often using public transportation. The only exceptions were Kok, as head of government. Fortuyn, however, had his own bodyguards and his party headquarters in Rotterdam were always guarded. Last March, his newly formed party stunned the nation by sweeping 35% of the vote in local elections in Rotterdam, a port city with a large immigrant population. Police cordoned off Fortuyn's house in Rotterdam, where he often met supporters and gave interviews.

Followers lay bouquets outside the house. Fortuyn's hard-hitting campaign against immigration and what he called "the mess" created by Kok's eight-year coalition, dominated the campaign and refocused the issues. Fortuyn had recently expressed fears for his safety. A few weeks ago, protesters threw cream pies laced with urine in his face. Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. BBC NEWS | Europe | Gunman kills Dutch film director Gunman kills Dutch film director Van Gogh directed TV series and wrote newspaper columns Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh, who made a controversial film about Islamic culture, has been stabbed and shot dead in Amsterdam, Dutch police say. Police arrested a man in a nearby park after an exchange of gunfire. The man, aged 26, had joint Dutch and Moroccan nationality, they said. Van Gogh, 47, had received death threats after his film Submission was shown on Dutch TV. It portrayed violence against women in Islamic societies. The film was made with liberal Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee who fled an arranged marriage.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been under police protection since the film was aired. She has also received death threats and has renounced the Islamic faith. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an outspoken critic of Islam Eyewitnesses quoted by Radio Netherlands said Van Gogh was attacked while cycling by a man dressed in a traditional Moroccan jallaba. Both the suspect and a policeman suffered bullet wounds and are now in hospital. Van Gogh - who was related to the famous Dutch painter - had also been making a film about Pim Fortuyn, the populist right-wing, anti-immigration politician assassinated in May 2002. Film controversy The film Submission told the story of a Muslim woman forced into an arranged marriage who is abused by her husband and raped by her uncle. It triggered an outcry from Dutch Muslims. In one scene the film showed an actress in see-through garments with Koranic script written on her body, which also bore whip marks. The Netherlands is home to nearly one million Muslims or 5.5% of the population. One of the film maker's colleagues at the film production company said Van Gogh had received death threats "but he never took them quite seriously".

"He was a controversial figure and a champion of free speech," he told Reuters. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said "it is unacceptable if expressing your opinion would be the cause of this brutal murder". "On a day like this we are reminded of the murder of Fortuyn. We cannot resign ourselves to such a climate, " he added. And Queen Beatrix said she was shocked and appalled at the killing, AFP news agency reported. Rotterdam travel guide Rotterdam Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Erasmusbrug Rotterdam Liv Flores This large and modern port city has risen phoenixlike from the ashes of World War II. In 1940 the Germans bombed the city to force a fast surrender of the Netherlands. Most demolition was actually done in the process of rebuilding the city to modern standards. Only three large buildings in the center have survived miraculously: the city hall, the St. Laurence church and the White House. Today Rotterdam is the most modern city in The Netherlands, with the high rising towers of company buildings in the center.

Some people think it became a playground for architects trying their theories and thus making Rotterdam one giant wind tunnel, but you can really feel things are happening here if you are interested in architecture. For quite some time it is the place to be for a perfect night out. Though Rotown has decent, though small acts and is well-known internationally, The Thalialounge is the place to see and be seen in a groovy club atmosphere, and De Doelen is a wonderful venue for classical music. Clubs like Now&Wow, Off Corso and Baja Beach Club are very popular in The Netherlands. Rotterdam has become nightlife city number one, taking over this position from Amsterdam. Symbol of Rotterdam is the Euromast Space Tower, 605ft/184m tall that had to be extended several times to keep its leading position as highest building of the Meuse city. From this tower with its revolving sit-down elevator you have an excellent view over the city and the surrounding industrial harbour landscape. The harbour, one of the busiest in the world, is a draw in itself and still the largest one if you count by pure volume. A city like this can’t do without Museums.

A collection of painting, sculpture and design worth seeing is displayed at the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum. A day in Rotterdam is sufficient for most, but you can also spend several days if you want to see it all. The Dutch institutes of photography and of architecture are located right near the center, and there are lots of galleries. In February there is always the International Film Festival and every other year there is a photo biennale. The Kunsthal, designed by the famous architect Rem Koolhaas, has changing exhibitions on all sorts of expressions of art and culture. The people, though claiming to be one of the friendliest of Holland, tend to somewhat distrust foreigners. In 2004 the city laws to forbid people from poorer families to settle in the city came to be, when all other recources were depleted to stop poverty from becoming ever more popular. It is therefore no surprise Rotterdam was also the home of the right wing politician Pim Fortuyn, who became the first victim ever of political assassination in The Netherlands when he was killed on May 6th, 2002. There is a statue you can visit, which still regularly has flowers put underneath it.

Because Rotterdam is very near Brussels and The Hague and because it is a huge port, it has a huge expat community which has settled in this only Dutch metropole. Actually, near to 60% of the population is either non-Dutch or Dutch born abroad (allochtonen, in Dutch). The problem most of the expat community encounters is the bureaucratic way the municipality and government handles licenses, legal documentation etc. If you want to live in Rotterdam or The Netherlands be sure to learn the language as fast as you can, because there is a tendency of being less tolerant in The Netherlands. The Dutch can get very annoyed if you have lived there for a few years and still don't talk Dutch. For the expat community in Rotterdam there is website with all kinds of tips & tricks to get used to the Rotterdam way of life Furthermore you can always contact the municipality for information about living in Rotterdam. Most of the hassle above can be ignored by European Union citizens though, as they are exempt of most of the paperwork asked from other foreigners. Come to Rotterdam for the architecture, the museums, the nightlife, a refreshing boattrip on the Meuse or just some shopping.

Contributors Dutch Right-Wing Leader Pim Fortuyn Assassinated "It's hard to grasp this can happen in The Netherlands. Dutch democracy has lost its innocence." The Dutch right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn has been shot dead, according to Dutch media reports. Police say Mr Fortuyn was shot six times and suffered multlple wounds in the chest and neck, but have not yet officially confirmed that he has been killed. He was attacked as he left a radio studio in the central Dutch city of Hilversum after giving an interview. One unconfirmed report said that a suspect had been detained. Ambulances rushed to the scene and the area was sealed off. Prime Minsiter Wim Kok has broken off campaigning for forthcoming elections to return to The Hague. Ad Melkert, leader of the governing socialists, said the shooting was "appalling". "It's hard to grasp this can happen in The Netherlands. Dutch democracy has lost its innocence," he told NOS television. Eyewitnesses have spoken of seeing militant-type figures at the media park where the Dutch station is located. "I saw Pim Fortuyn lying on the ground with a bullet wound in his head," said television reporter Dave Abspoel.

The reporter said four people chased the gunman, who apparently fired in their direction. But the BBC's Geraldine Coughlan in The Hague says it would have been difficult to gain access to the media park, which is tightly monitored. She said that the Dutch media and police have reacted with shock to an attack which is unprecedented in Dutch politics. Elections In an interview last week Mr Fortuyn expressed fears that he could be the victim of an attack and said that he had received threats by phone, e-mail and letter. But Mr Fortuyn's anti-immigration party has been predicted to do well in the forthcoming general elections in nine days time, with polls giving him at least 15% of the vote. The party made surprising gains in recent elections, winning a landslide in the port city of Rotterdam. Mr Fortuyn has provoked public indignation by calling for the Netherlands' borders to be closed to immigrants and by describing Islam as a 'backward' religion. The BBC's world affairs correspondent, John Simpson, who interviewed him last week, said: "He was aware of the kind of feelings he was stirring up, and to some extent he enjoyed that because he knew his message was getting through".

Mr Fortuyn said that, if he was successful in the 15 May elections, he would only be satisfied with the post of prime minister and would not accept a place in the cabinet. 5-6-2 Pim Fortuyn's party has made surprising gains in recent elections and was predicted to do well in the forthcoming general elections in nine days time, with polls giving him 15% of the vote. What is significant about his party, Livable Holland, is that it has some black candidates contesting the elections and wide support among black voters. The party's law and order spokesperson, Rabella de Faria attributed 99% of Rotterdam's crime to immigrants of Turkish and Moroccan origin. That might be an overstatement but before you accuse her of being a "racist" take note: Rabella de Faria is black. So, unlike Le Pen, Pim Fortuyn, could not be dismissed as just another "right wing extremist". He posed a real threat to those in power and their use of uncontrolled immigration as a means to further there own power: which is probably why he has been shot.

Note: Here is a BBC story which just ran two days ago: At home with 'Professor Pim' Pim Fortuyn is expected to do well in May's election By the BBC's Kirsty Lang In Rotterdam May 4, 2002 It was an imposing house on an elegant garden square in Rotterdam. The butler opened the door - stained glass with the owner's name Pim Fortuyn emblazoned over a windmill. "The master is running a little late," he explained. "I can bring you tea in the garden while you wait." I followed him down a long yellow corridor taking mental notes about the decor; marble floors, modern art, large black and white photos of my host, framed magazine covers of him and naked men - lots of them. I sipped my tea - Earl Grey - out of a Wedgwood cup edged with gold leaf and counted how many naked men there were in the garden - only two - of the Greek god variety, one posed fetchingly near the small Zen-like pond. It wasn't long before the man who has taken Dutch politics by storm bounded through the French windows to greet me.

Very shiny bald head, tall and slim wearing a well-cut pin striped suit, pale pink shirt and matching tie. Under one arm he is cradling a King Charles spaniel, which is licking his face vigorously. 'No Le Pen' "Professor Pim" as the Dutch refer to him, is in a bad mood. Journalists keep on ringing him and comparing him to France's Jean-Marie Le Pen. "We have nothing in common," he says banging the table. The Wedgewood cups shake, and the small dog quivers. "What about your opposition to immigration?" I reply. "Surely you share those ideas?" "No, no, no," shouts Mr Fortuyn. "All those who are here can stay. I don't say send them home like he does - I just say the Netherlands is a small country. "We are already overcrowded, there's no more room and we must shut the borders." There is another crucial difference between the blustering former French paratrooper and the leader of the Dutch new right. Pim Fortuyn is gay, openly so and proud of it and this is crucial to understanding his politics.

He fears that the influx of Muslim immigration into the Netherlands is undermining the ultra-liberal, permissive values which made his the first country in the world to fully legalise same-sex marriages. "Muslims have a very bad attitude to homosexuality, they're very intolerant," he says. Jabbing his finger aggressively towards me, he goes on: "And women. For them women are second class citizens". I try to open my mouth with a response but am cut off. "What we are witnessing now is a clash of civilisations, not just between states but within them," and he thunders on. Indeed that sort of characterises our entire conversation - every time I try to speak, he cuts me off and rants. Similar tastes The finger jabbing and shouting reminded me of the time I had taken tea with Jean-Marie Le Pen ... that and the dogs. Pim Fortuyn has two little well coiffed King Charles spaniels called Kenneth and Carla. Monsieur Le Pen has two sleek black Dobermans - called Gauloise and Gitane. The Dutchman even has a rather garish family portrait of himself and his dogs hanging in his study. Both men are wealthy with large beautiful houses and butlers.

They also share a taste for statues. Mr Le Pen has a tall black statue of man holding a bowl of fruit in his hall - the only difference is that he's wearing a loin cloth whereas Mr Fortuyn's statues do not. Mr Le Pen has a Vietnamese manservant who I tried to corner in the pantry and asked whether the leader of the National Front was a good boss. He politely ignored me asking instead whether I took my tea with lemon or milk. My attempt to extract information from Herman the Dutch butler was met with equal discretion. Professor Pim has a lot of books in his house whereas I didn't get the impression Mr Le Pen was a big reader: In fact he positively detests intellectuals who he blames for much of France's ills. The only reading material I spotted chez Le Pen was a tabloid newspaper. The Dutchman on the other hand revels in his reputation as a thinking man. He's an ex-sociology professor, a former Marxist who then became an opinionated right-wing columnist and a political consultant to Dutch Christian Democrats before setting up his own political party less than three months ago.

Pim Fortuyn and Jean Marie Le Pen may be very different men, but the reasons people vote for them are the same: fear and alienation. Fear of outsiders, fear of crime, fear of change and alienation from the old political elites. When you ask people on the streets of Lille or Rotterdam why they vote for them, the answers are the same. "He says what other politicians won't," "I trust him," "he understands the concerns of ordinary people." Very few explicitly mention immigration - everything is couched in terms of crime or "insecurity" as the French call it. "You may not be a racist but the people who vote for you are," I said to Mr Fortuyn. "So what?"came the reply."Why they vote for me is irrelevant, but if they do they're in safe hands." And with that he smiled a big, slow self-satisfied smile. CNN.com - Dutch election on despite murder - May 9, 2002 set your edition Dutch election on despite murder AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands -- Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Wim Kok says general elections will go ahead as planned on May 15 despite the murder of right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn.

Fortuyn was shot dead on Monday, just nine days before elections in which polls forecast his party would make major gains, on the back of an anti-immigration policy. The Cabinet had been considering delaying the election amid fears of public unrest after the shooting near Amsterdam that stunned the usually peaceful country. "(Our consultations) have brought us to the conclusion that it is sensible to go ahead with the original date (of the election)," Kok told reporters after talks with other political leaders including those of Pim Fortuyn's List party. Earlier, the party's spokesman Mat Herben called for the election not to be delayed. "Pim loved electoral democracy, so we too want the elections to go ahead on May 15," he said. CNN NewsPass VIDEO Should the Dutch elections have been postponed following the shooting of Pim Fortuyn? Yes View Results � CNN's European Political Editor Robin Oakley said Fortuyn's party would want the election to go ahead as soon as possible to take advantage of an expected sympathy vote. "While people want to show sympathy for Fortuyn's family and party there is a political consideration here also," he said. "They have said that those who want to honour Fortuyn should vote for him.

"A politicised protest vote would be worrying for the mainstream parties," he added. Oakley also questioned how long the party, which only emerged earlier this year, would survive without Fortuyn, as "very few have any experience." Fortuyn died after being shot at least six times in the head, neck and chest as he left a radio interview on the outskirts of Amsterdam. ( Full story ) Dutch politicians have condemned the killing. "What has happened here is indescribable," Kok said. Vice-Prime Minister Annemie Jorritsma said on Monday that holding the elections after an assassination was "bizarre." Els Borst, another vice-premier, said "maybe a time-out is necessary." ( More political reaction ) Political parties have immediately suspended all campaigning and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was due to arrive for a rally on Tuesday, cancelled his trip. Polls predicted that Fortuyn, 54, would win up to 28 of the 150 seats in the Dutch parliament and a possible place in a coalition government in the elections.

An early indication of the party's success was shown when it won 35 percent of the vote in local elections in Rotterdam, a port city with a large immigrant population, in March. The party campaigns on a strong anti-immigration policy, although Fortuyn distanced himself from other far-right European politicians such as Jean-Marie Le Pen who shocked France by winning second place in the first round of presidential elections, defeating Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. Fortuyn broke the mould of Dutch politics with his flamboyant style Oakley, who had been due to interview Fortuyn on Wednesday, said his party had stressed the difference between its leader and Le Pen. "They stressed I was not to bracket Fortuyn with Le Pen," Oakley added. "He was a maverick ... and it was difficult to categorise him on the far right." ( Profile of Fortuyn ) Fortuyn, who was openly gay, supported many of the policies of the liberal Netherlands, such as gay marriages, euthanasia and the legal use of soft drugs. But he was sceptical of the European Union and wanted a referendum on whether it should be enlarged. Fortuyn's policy did not advocate sending immigrants back but instead he advocated stemming the influx.

"Holland is full," he said. The party leader gained popularity with verbal attacks on the Netherlands' growing Muslim population and strident criticism of Kok, a social democrat, and his liberal and conservative coalition partners. The former academic and columnist had been sent death threats in recent months and had employed bodyguards but was unable to afford 24-hour a day protection, a spokesman said. He had not asked for police protection. Until Monday, he had only been attacked with cream pies. Most political leaders, except for the prime minister, go without bodyguards into crowds and onto public transport. Police have arrested a 33-year-old white Dutch man in connection with the shooting, which they say they believe to be an opportunist killing. Oakley said the details emerging of the man arrested were "significant in terms of a political backlash considering Fortuyn's tough line on immigration and anti-Islam." "It lessens peoples' fears of politics dividing on racial grounds if this man proves to the perpetrator of the crime." Some skinheads were blamed by police for sparking violence in The Hague after news of Fortuyn's death. Kok appealed for calm in response to the angry crowds clashing with police, smashing windows and setting two cars alight.

Police, dressed in riot gear, used water canons to disperse the crowds, several of whom were arrested. Who killed Pim Fortuyn and why was he killed. Pim Fortuyn was no Dutch Haider, nor was he the Dutch Le Pen Fortuyn made his entry in the Dutch political arena in the fall of 2001. He published a book called "The Debris Of Eight Years Purple", in fact the ruins of the purple cabinets of the two governments led by Wim Kok. These were coalition cabinets of socialists (PvdA), conservatives (VVD), and liberal democrats (D'66). Fortuyn criticized the failure of important policies of "the purple administration", the mismanagement of the health care system which resulted in long waiting lists, the rising crime record and related unsafety, and - last but not least - the nonrealistic immigration and integration policies which resulted in long procedures and a seemingly endless stream of illegal immigrants of which their original culture was so remote from Western society that they did not get acquainted with it and would not participate.

Furthermore Fortuyn was against the acquisition of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the American project which could cost our country billions without receiving sufficient orders for Dutch manufacturers for supplying parts for the manufacture of that aircarft. That point of view was also not accepted by the ruling parties. The Dutch parliament represents the Dutch voters, but once the people have cast their vote, members of parliament do as they see fit. That is why most of the time decisions are made which are not in accordance with the opinion of the voters. Pim Fortuyn's Criticism Fortuyn's appearance made a great impact. His criticism was partly right. Many people thought it refreshing that for once a politician (who was a newcomer and was not a member of the political establishment) openly talked about these policies, but especially about the question of the integration of immigrants. Not all of Fortuyn's criticism was justified at least not to a high degree. Therefor most journalists and many a politician of the established political parties started to attack Fortuyn and depicted the man as a monster, a monster that could be compared to Haider (Austria) and Le Pen (France). They maintained that he was a threat to the Dutch nation.

They even compared Fortuyn to right wing leaders in the years before World War Two. One politician, Thom de Graaf of the liberal democrats (D66), even mentioned the fate of Anne Frank in this respect, as if Fortuyn had the ideas of a Nazi. Stop Fortuyn! The result was that in the last months of campaigning for the election for a new parliament on May 15th, 2002, the atmosphere was one of intimidation and name calling. Invariably the objective - so it seemed - was to stop Fortuyn at no cost and with all sorts of means. Rare were the occasions when he could finish his sentences when interviewed and answering a question or explaining his ideas in a debate. It must be said that Fortuyn himself did participate wholeheartedly in the chaotic debates. He was forced to. Not participating would be a sign of weakness. The only times when he was treated in an objective way was in the man to man debates or when interviewed by a more able journalist who knew that the man first had to explain an idea before he could be attacked. In those cases he was granted the space and time to explain his views, for example on Belgian television.

Rising Popularity The electorate however saw very clearly what was going on. The more the established parties and the established journalists picked on Fortuyn, the more the popularity of Fortuyn was rising and this showed very clearly in the polls. Fortuyn was gaining attention and in polls it was he who was winning and the established parties were loosing, virtually. Thus a nasty atmosphere was created which could have been a stimulus for anyone who had thought about eliminating Fortuyn. And if it could not be done in the media, than the apparent solution was to kill the man. If debates and interviews had been presided in a rightful manner, the killing of Pim Fortuyn would have been less probable. But demonizing the man just went on and on and nobody called for a real discussion. Pro Immigrant Policy Now that Pim Fortuyn has been murdered, the Dutch have a problem how to explain to other countries what really is the matter. How can the wrong and unjust painted image be rectified. Fortuyn was not against the immigration of political refugees at all. He even proposed a "general pardon" for those who were already in the country (legally or illegally).

He proposed limited quota for immigrants, not for political refugees, the latter were always welcome. When he was attacked by representatives of the Islam in the Netherlands and depicted as being lower than a pig, Fortuyn said that Islam was a culture that was lagging behind. He called it "retarded". Discrimination Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution is the so called "non discrimination article". Holland is the only country in the world which has such an article. When Fortuyn said that, if the "non discrimination article" was impractical (because it stifles anyone who wants to make a critical remark), than, he suggested, the article should be replaced by a "hate" article. But that suggestion was misinterpreted and again he was attacked. Fortuyn was not a racist, but a threat to the established Dutch political system, the so-called tolerance (which is mostly not based on empathy at all but on indifference), and maybe a threat to the Dutch constitutional monarchy as well, as some high situated people believed. But his arrival and short appearance was and remains a blessing for the Dutch democracy. Part of the rectification will take place through elections.

It is probable that Fortuyn's party (LPF) will participate in a new government. Pim Fortuyn's Party: LPF Some opinion makers and journalists have said that, now Fortuyn has been killed, his party, Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF-party), should be dissolved. That is exactly what these conspiring journalists and politicians had been wanting all along, the elimination of Fortuyn's ideas and the political followers. The journalists and politicians do certainly not want to understand why he was so popular and more so they do not understand what democracy is all about. It is important that the party will have the chance to work together with other policial parties in a coalition government and that it will be able to correct some of the ruling ideas and policies. But that is really not the most important thing for Fortuyn's party. The important aspect of the new movement is that it should have a chance in parliament. If the party succeeds (on the day Fortuyn was murdered the polls told that his party would have 35 or even more seats and would be the largest party in Holland), so much the better.

Even if the LPF fails and after a few months or a year new elections will have to be held, the party will have proven its most important function: letting democracy work. And not only that. The movement has proven that the immigration and integration policies have to be reassessed. Rudolf A. Bruil, May 13, 2002. Referring to the existence of Berlusconi in Italy, the recent elections in France and now the murder and elections in The Netherlands, an American newspaper recently wrote: "What is wrong with Europe?". That actually is the wrong question. The question should read: "What is wrong with the world?" Yes, we do live in a time of revolution, a time of change. Old patterns and established views are no longer valid, are in agony. The move to more openness is necessary to redefine policies which enable to build the future. Some people call it a move to the right. If it is a move to the right, than it will be temporary. Sharon in Israel is not the future but the agony of the views of the past and thus will finally function as an impulse to review the policies. George W.

Bush is not the future but the agony of the politics of the nineteen seventies and this will lead in due time to renewal. In European countries like France and the Netherlands (and probably soon in Germany when elections have taken place) socialism goes through a phase of agony when it desperately wants to keep the power but has to give it up and renew itself and let society renew itself. There is nothing wrong with that. - Rudolf A. Bruil, May 13th 2002. Remembering Pim Fortuyn - DutchReview Remembering Pim Fortuyn Featured The Netherlands has spent the last two days mindful of our history: by remembering the casualties of World War II on May 4th, Dodenherdenking, and by celebrating our freedom on May 5th, Bevrijdingsdag. But for a lot of people, May 6th is also a sacred day, as it marks the date on which the controversial Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was assassinated, now thirteen years ago. Pim Fortuyn (1948-2002). source Who was Pim Fortuyn?

A former writer and professor of sociology at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Pim Fortuyn took the Dutch political scene by storm at the beginning of the new millennium. With his controversial ideas, strong debating skills, and his flamboyant style, Fortuyn divided the Dutch political sphere like few people did before him. He called for an ‘ideological fight’ against Islam, meaning that he wanted a debate about the ways in which Islamic culture is incompatible with our modern and liberal views. In his own words, there were parts of Islam which had no place in our society. Fortuyn would be heavily criticized for using the word achterlijk to describe these bad parts of Islam, the word meaning as much as ‘backwards’ or ‘retarded’. Accused of racism, sexism, populism, or just any kind of -ism with a bad reputation, the controversy around Pim Fortuyn grew. During the presentation of his last book, protesters threw a cake filled with excrement and vomit in his face. Pim Fortuyn’s assisination What started with shit-filled pies and death threats ended in assassination.

On May 6th 2002, just a few days before the elections, the ‘lone wolf’ Volkert van der Graaff shot Pim Fortuyn at point-blank range outside of the studios of Hilversum. In court, van der Graaff claimed that he saw need to kill Fortuyn for being a threat to Dutch society. source Beyond even the murder of a human being, many Dutch people saw the assassination of Pim Fortuyn as the murder of Dutch innocence and Dutch democracy. Before May 6th 2002, the idea of someone being murdered for his/her ideas was something alien to most Dutch people, something that happened in the past, or happens in other countries, but not here where we live. Priding itself as that one country where the prime minister rides his bike to work, a new feeling of vulnerability entered into the Dutch identity. Anger rose, and tensions grew between various ethnic and political groups. Following the death of Fortuyn, his political party carried on, but soon fell out of favor. It seemed that without the spark of its charismatic and bold leader, neither its ideas nor its politicians could stick together. The party disbanded in 2008.

Though we will never know how successful his political theories would have worked in practice, there can be no question that Pim Fortuyn was a unique politician who was not held back from speaking his mind by threats or insults. If you can spare half an hour of time, you might want to watch the following video (Dutch). It is an interview of Pim Fortuyn, made by Theo van Gogh , who was himself murdered for his ideas two years later.

Question: Which Dutch right-wing politician was assassinated in Holland on May 6th 2002?
Answer: PIM FORTUYN